Unexpected Oasis by Cd Hussey

cheeks not just once per side, but several times. Trey repeats the gesture, not only with Kaihan, but with every man. When they've greeted eachother thoroughly, and it's quite a thorough greeting, they turn to me. I'm so surprised that a big, masculine, military man like Trey isn't put off by the local customs that it takes me a minute to realize my scarf has fallen to my shoulders.  I quickly return it to its place.
    Kaihan doesn't kiss anything near me, but he does shake my hand. So do the other men. And then, with broad swooping gestures, they usher me to a fold out camp chair.
    "Thank you. Thank you," I say as they urge me to sit.
    Once my butt is firmly planted in the chair, one of the men holds out the empty chair next to me, while the other talks rapidly to Trey, pushing him toward it. Since the local is a good foot shorter and probably one hundred pounds lighter than Trey, it's humorous to watch him attempt to herd him into the chair.
    Trey puts up no resistance, smiling and even laughing as the man practically shoves him into the chair. Once he sits, the man gives a satisfied nod and Kaihan appears with two steaming, ceramic mugs.
    "Tea," he says, handing Trey one mug and then me the other. "Tea," he repeats.
    "Thank you."
    Trey says something in their native tongue. Kaihan nods enthusiastically, and then rejoins his friends.
    "Tea," Trey repeats once we're alone.
    "Tea." I take a sip. "Mmm. Chai. It's good."
    "Always is."
    "So what was that all about?" I ask after taking another sip of the spiced tea.
    "The chair herding?"
    "Yeah. Not that I'm complaining," I add quickly, patting the arms appreciatively. "They are comfortable…"
    "You don't want to know."
    I frown.
    "Oh, it isn't bad," he adds with a chuckle. "They think you are beautiful and…" He pauses, shaking his head. "Never mind."
    Beautiful?
    "No wait, you can't do that. And what?"
    He starts to responds and then stops. He tips the mug to his lips and very purposefully takes a drink. "Naw."
    "That isn't fair," I protest.
    "I know," he says and disappears behind the curve of the chair's back.
    "Hmph."
    I settle back into my chair and let my head fall back into the cradling canvas. Above, a million stars are splattered against a cool, black sky. The mountains surrounding us are bathed in pale light, and the moon sparkles in its rippling lake reflection. My modest irritation is immediately forgotten. "It is so nice to be out from behind those adobe walls at Merritec," I murmur.
    "Yes it is." Without turning to me, he holds out his mug in a toast and I meet it with mine. Simultaneously, we both take a drink. The fire crackles merrily and the soft conversation of Kaihan and his men, with its unfamiliar inflection, is like foreign music to my ears.
    "When I first got there, to Merritec Village, I nearly lost it," Trey says after a minute. I turn to look at him. His expression, glowing warm in the firelight, is thoughtful. "The monotony, the feeling of captivity… It was hard to adjust. For a while I thought I was going to crawl out of my skin if I had to look at the same scenery another day. And technically, I can leave any time. Grab some heat, hit the streets. I don't know how you civilians handle it."
    It's nice to hear I'm not the only one.
    Kaihan picks up a goblet shaped drum—I think it's called a doumbek—and begins to beat out a series of crisp notes and rolling riffs.
    "How long have you been there?" I wonder.
    "At Merritec? Two years. I've been in the region for five."
    "Wow, you must really like it. I thought most people only stayed for six months, maybe a year."
    "It's okay. It's all I can seem to do, though. When I got out of the military I tried civilian life. I really did. I was a fireman for a while, joined the police force…"
    "You didn't like it?"
    He shrugs. "For the pay, the work isn't exciting enough. Too many restrictions."
    "The compound seems pretty tame."
    He gives me a mischievous, half-cocked grin. "You'd be surprised." And then